Tuesday, December 11, 2007

First day at school

Many years ago, I taught for a year or two in a rather rough school. If a novice teacher turned up for his first day at the school to start his teaching career, the 'older dogs' in the school staff room would 'wind him up' mercilessly.

"Say son, which is your first class?"

"12C," the novice would reply.

The 'old dogs' would all start laughing around him. "Eh! they've given him 12C!" "Not 12C! Bloody hell! The worst class in the school!" "Dear oh dear, he doesn't stand a chance! They'll eat him alive!"

Then one of the 'old dogs' would put his hand over the novice's shoulder and say, "Don't worry son, my class is next door. I'm going that way so I'll walk down the corridor with you to 12C's classroom. You go in first, then I'll throw the books in after you!"

For newly-elected parliamentary speaker, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, tomorrow may be like this first day in school. PoR have warned that they may prevent any voting for Tymoshenko for PM in the VR, and will block the podium unless parliament chooses a deputy speaker, and heads of parliamentary committees first.

This evening Tymoshenko was supposed to have met representatives from PoR, even though they insist they will not be voting for her. The meeting never took place. Interestingly, according to their leader Petro Symonenko, the Communists in the VR have not yet determined their position regarding Tymoshenko's candidature. They will meet her before tomorrow morning's VR sitting.

Quite a test for the young Yatsenyuk tomorrow, and maybe an indicator of how he will handle parliamentary problems in the future.